halloween part one

bones

I've got to get this posted now because Halloween Part Two happens this evening. My wonderful neighbors Chad and Emily treated Tim and Luke to Halloween at The Farm last Friday night. We started the festivities in the afternoon with a pumpkin painting activity. Tim flat refused to put on his garbage bag smock and paint. He wouldn't even paint without the smock. But Addie happily painted while we watched. Tim did stick some stickers on one of the pumpkins that his Aunt Debbie grew and gave to him. We had to do the painting on the garage floor because the gorgeous late summer weather turned to fall overnight and it was too cool and misty to paint outside and too messy to paint inside. That's okay though; that's perfect Halloween weather. I forgot to take photos of this event.

After a short break in which Addie took a nap, Tim had some down time with a cup of milk, Luke played with his toys, and Paul came home from work, we all walked two doors down to their house and had hot dogs for dinner. Chad was working high in the mountains, riding horses in the snow of all things; he's a forest ranger, but he managed to get back in time to go to the Farm.


addie dressed as jessie from toy story 2. i meant to take her photo but had the camera on video.

Tim told me a few days before the party that he wanted to be C3P0 for Halloween, but I wasn't able to find him a costume in town. They are available on-line, but I'm not convinced he'd wear it, so I didn't bother. Next year, he'll let me know well ahead of time, I'm sure, and I'll be sure to get him or make him what he wants if at all humanly possible. He was happy to wear his skeleton pajamas (he calls them his bones). It was cold enough that he had to wear a heavy coat, so the costume didn't really matter. The hat was in a box of clothes that he inherited from Karsten, who must have been a skeleton for his second Halloween as well. Luke wore the Kangaroo suit that Colten gave to Tim at 9 months old. It's very warm and Luke was happy the whole evening and even fell asleep in Paul's arms.

For Halloween, local businesses like nursery schools, dental offices, and charities make false fronted doors for children to do their 'trick-or treating'. These are set up along the paths of the inner area of The Farm, around the pond and chicken coup. There is also a hay ride, and local schools make displays that are set up in the barn. The best was Monster Math, a mock classroom with a ghoul for a teacher and zombies for students.

waiting for our turn on the hayride

Addie, being a year older than Tim and having been to The Farm last Halloween, knew what was what and led him from door to door singing out 'Trick-or-Treat' or 'Happy Halloween' and holding out her bag for candy gleefully. Tim got the part about holding out his bag for candy (he figured that out last year as well), but he remained mute most of the night and wanted to stop and inspect what was deposited in his bag at each door before moving on. He took on the role of doing some knocking on the door about half way through.


checking out the treat

Every day since then, he's told me the story of going to The Farm, knocking on the door, saying 'Halloween,' and getting candy. He also asks to go back. Today he came home from school with a new story. Tomorrow night, his whole school is having a Halloween Party. Hence, Halloween Part Two...

my boys